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Dear Colleagues,
As we prepare to embark on the fall quarter, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge and express gratitude for the incredible work you have been doing to reinforce our learning, research and community-building environment at UC San Diego. Our rise in the national and world rankings (see the Spotlights below) reflects the excellence you bring to campus. Several upcoming start-of-year activities such as Convocation and the Extended Studies Showcase are a further reminder of how meaningful it is for us to gather, connect and share about ourselves and our experiences, particularly with students who learn from us both inside and outside the classroom.
I look forward to having the opportunity to speak with more of you this year, to learn about your ideas, your experiences, and how our campus can support your aspirations. I hold regular office hours and would also love to schedule a “Reverse Office Hour,” where I can visit your lab, studio, or classroom and see first-hand the collaboration and innovation that is happening on our campus. Though you come from many different disciplines and units, there are often similar themes that arise when you talk about your future plans. These conversations highlight how important it is for us to keep working in a spirit of Collective Impact, so that our separate and unique efforts can benefit all of our students, all of our colleagues, and the greater community.
I appreciate your many important contributions to UC San Diego – including those that lie ahead.
Best Regards,
Elizabeth H. Simmons
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The easiest way for us to talk is to come in during my office hours. |
Read the new EVC Blog
This fall I am debuting my new blog. Providing another channel with which I can share exciting research and resources I hear about across campus, highlight outstanding academics and staff, and much more.
My first blog post is a reminder of resources available as we start the fall quarter. I hope you will click the button below and check it out.
Is there something you think I should feature on my blog? Please email and let me and my team know.
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UC San Diego Extended Studies: Showcase 2023
Join UC San Diego Extended Studies for the Campus to Community Showcase event to explore partnerships for success, including an in-person exploration of the Park & Market facility in downtown San Diego and virtual afternoon sessions that highlight services and programs you can tap into to realize or enhance your goals. The morning will kick-off with a continental breakfast, followed by a leadership welcome with EVC Elizabeth H. Simmons and Extended Studies Dean Hugo Villar and a partner panel discussion, featuring Carlos Jensen, AVC for Educational Innovation, Assistant Dean Wendy Hunter Barker from the Rady School of Management, and Colleen Kollar Smith, Executive Director of the Campus Performance and Events Office. After the presentations, attendees can experience all Park & Market has to offer with tours of classroom, meeting, and event spaces, as well as arts and culture activities with Digital Gym Cinema and the public art gallery. During the afternoon, enjoy virtual breakout sessions that allow for remote participation. The day will be capped off back at Park & Market with an art reception from 4 to 6:30 p.m., and a musical performance at 7 p.m. with Park & Market’s acclaimed Intersections Concert Series. Learn more about the event and register today.
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Volunteers Needed for TWOW 2023
Volunteers are needed for Triton Weeks of Welcome (TWOW), the campus-wide series of introductory activities, special programs, and signature events at the start of each academic year. There are several opportunities for volunteers to participate in activities and help students feel welcome, including Residential Move-In and being a TWOW Ambassador. Volunteer registration links can be found in this campus notice.
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Calling All Faculty Who Are First-Generation Graduates |
 |  | You are invited to participate in the new UC San Diego First-Gen Faculty Directory by filling out the Triton Firsts Faculty Directory Survey. While the survey does take about 10 minutes to complete, the information is what students have requested through assessment surveys and focus groups. Triton Firsts, part of Student Retention and Success, supports first-generation college students through evidence-based support initiatives and programs that are proven to assist students with accessing resources, developing college capital skills, and navigating their college journey. The goal of the directory is for students to see the first-generation community that UC San Diego celebrates, as well as establishing more paths to mentorship. The survey will ask for basic information about you, your research, and your teaching interests. You can also share a photo of yourself and a brief statement about your journey as a first-generation graduate. Share as little or as much information as you are comfortable with. Triton Firsts is working to create a new iteration of the directory that goes beyond a static pdf from 2017. Whether you are available to meet with students or not, seeing first-generation faculty makes visible the first-generation identity held by many faculty.
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Complete the 2024 Summer Programs Inventory
While it may seem early to start thinking about next summer, it is essential to begin collecting preliminary information about all of the invaluable research, pre-college, enrichment, and new student programs taking place this upcoming year. In order for the campus to plan for and allocate support resources needed for you to efficiently and safely facilitate your program(s), we need your help. At your earliest convenience, please take 5 minutes to complete the 2024 Summer Program Inventory. The priority deadline for completion is Oct. 18, 2023 and is for all programs, especially those in need of Housing, Dining and Hospitality Services. While the form will remain open beyond October 15, (space and resources will be allocated on a first come, first served basis), we need this information to be able to best plan for external/visiting conference groups that are critical to HDH operations and also help subsidize the conference rates for internal programs. For questions, please email Rocco Fragomeni, Director of Summer Planning.
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Resources for Supporting Transfer Students
Transfer Student Success offers resources faculty and staff for supporting Triton Transfers. On the website you will find:
- An overview of our Triton Transfer population, as well as some myths and tricks to supporting students in the classroom
- Access to the Triton Transfer Ally Training
- Research articles about the transfer experience
- Tips for connecting transfers connected to your programs and research
- Syllabus language regarding the Triton Transfer Hub
- Resources you can provide your transfer students
- Newsletter subscription sign-up
- A presentation request form for your students and team
If you were a transfer student yourself, share your transfer pride with the UCSD community. Please fill out this profile to let us know you were a transfer student, and for the option to be featured in our newsletter. In addition, feel free to utilize this stamp which showcases that you were a transfer student. Add this stamp to your signature, syllabus, or office door. Both of these resources are also found on our website. If you have any questions or if you are looking for a collaborator in your transfer student success efforts, please email Jackie Duerr.
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Supporting Students in Distress
This Fall, Case Management Services will be facilitating training sessions for “Creating a Culture of Care: Supporting Students in Distress.” This free and interactive training is designed to assist faculty and staff in recognizing and supporting students in distress. A student in distress is a student whose academic progress or functioning in the university environment is adversely affected due to a number of indicators that are impacting their well-being and/or the well-being of others. This is an excellent training for any UC San Diego staff or faculty member that has high interactions with students.
Upcoming classes will be held:
- Oct. 12, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m. (In-person)
- Nov. 9, 2023, 9 - 10:30 a.m. (In-person)
- Dec. 14, 2023, 9-10 a.m. (Virtual)
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Register on the UC Learning Center and search keyword “Students in Distress.” For more information, please contact Diana Go at dgo@ucsd.edu.
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SAVE on Student Debt
The U.S. Department of Education has announced that student loan payments will resume on September 1, 2023. To assist borrowers with this transition, the University of California partnered with the U.S. Department of Education to host the “Understanding Your Student Loan Repayment Options” webinar that took place last month. If you missed it and you, or students you know, have student debt, you to watch the recording to learn about your options and get your questions answered. While payments are resuming, the administration is continuing to work towards loan forgiveness and making college more affordable. In keeping with that work, the Department launched the Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, the most affordable repayment plan ever created. The new plan is live on StudentAid.gov/SAVE and borrowers can officially start enrolling and reducing monthly student loan bills. You can read more about the SAVE plan in their press release and in the White House fact sheet.
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Register for the People Leader Summit
Managers, supervisors, and and other leaders, the inaugural People Leader Summit will be taking place Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, from 10:30 a.m. - Noon. The People Leader Summit is an online, quarterly, interactive session featuring a wealth of necessary tools for people with teams to thrive as People Leaders, including news and updates; professional development and training opportunities; a real-time Q&A where human resource professionals answer questions; moderated discussion groups; and more. Those interested can register through this Zoom link.
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Mental Health Across Borders Support Forum for Students
Beginning in fall 2023, Undocumented Students Services and the Counseling and Psychological Services will be hosting a support forum for DACAmented, Undoc identified, UCSD DREAMERS, and children of immigrant parents. Every Wednesday during weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7 from Noon to 1 p.m., the support forum will be held at the Student Services Center, on the fifth Floor, in conference room 554. Snacks will be provided. For more information, contact Undocumented Student Services.
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UC San Diego Rises to No. 4 Among U.S. Public Universities in Academic Ranking of World Universities | The 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) has recognized UC San Diego as No. 4 among public universities in the United States, rising one spot from last year. | | | |
UC San Diego Climbs to Nation's 6th Best Public University in U.S. News & World Report Rankings | UC San Diego has advanced two spots to become the sixth best public university in the country, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings released today. UC San Diego ranked No. 28 on the complete list of over 400 of the nation's colleges, jumping six spots from last year. | | | |
"You Belong Here": Prioritizing Equity in Mental Health on Campus | A new quarterly series aims to foster a sense of connection and belonging among campus employees while boosting awareness of the mental health and wellness resources available at UC San Diego. | | | |
UC San Diego Named No. 3 Top Public College by Forbes | The University of California San Diego continues to rank third among the nation's top public colleges, according to Forbes' 2023 America's Top Colleges list. | | |
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